The path to fulfillment after 50 isn’t about playing small or fading away. According to this week's guest, it's about reclaiming your voice, living your values, and using your wisdom to uplift others and yourself.

In this episode, host Trevor Young sits down with Jet Swain - strategic advisor, speaker, and founder of the Affection Economy.

Jet’s story is anything but linear: from growing up on a sheep farm in rural Australia, studying fine arts, and braving the boisterous world of teaching, to carving out a dynamic career in advertising, innovation, and human-centered design.

Jet opens up about her eclectic journey, filled with zigzags, moments of reinvention, and lessons found in adversity, including her battle with breast cancer and navigating single motherhood. She shares how these experiences fueled her passion for the Affection Economy: a values-led movement that challenges traditional leadership and encourages bringing kindness, courage, and authenticity back to business and daily life.

Together, Trevor and Jet explore why now is the perfect time to dust off old dreams, get back in touch with your true self, and proudly claim your voice and vision - especially if you feel invisible in today’s workforce.

Whether you’re looking to transform your career, reconnect with your personal values, or simply hear an inspiring story of resilience and reinvention, this episode is packed with wisdom, practical insights, and the kind of warmth that only comes with lived experience.

______________

Key Takeaways from the Episode:

🟢 Embrace the Zigzags

Jet’s unconventional path is proof that paying attention to your instincts and interests can lead you somewhere remarkable, even - especially - if you don’t have a map.

🟢 Find (& Live) Your Values

Jet challenges us to identify our top three values - not buzzwords, but what truly matters and drives you. Kindness, courage, and curiosity are her guiding lights. What are yours?

🟢 Reclaim Your Voice

After years of being told she was “too much” or “too kind,” Jet discovered those were actually her strengths. Speaking up and standing out takes courage. Sometimes, as she puts it, “I am a lot, but I’m not too much.”

🟢 Building a One-Person Movement

From speaking and mentoring to creating practical tools (think: postcards, values cards, and a book), Jet is turning her philosophy into a platform and business - proof that you can design work to fit around your life and beliefs.

🟢 Why Connection (and Community) Matters

Kindness and connection aren’t soft business skills - they’re levers for real change. And sharing your story helps others find the courage to tell theirs.

Thanks for tuning in to CRANK THE 3RD —don’t forget to check out Jet Swain’s work, connect with her online, and keep an eye out for more inspiring stories and practical insights to help you find your voice, reconnect with your values, and keep cranking in your next chapter!

Welcome to the 300th episode of the podcast, and what a terrific way to celebrate the milestone!

In this episode, host Trevor Young sits down with Andrew "Billy" Baxter - an acclaimed leader whose career is a masterclass in professional reinvention, adaptability, and building a meaningful portfolio life after the corporate grind.

Once a heavy-hitter in Australia’s advertising industry, Billy has transitioned into a diverse and purpose-driven professional world: he chairs and sits on major boards including Australian Pork, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, all while running his own thriving business consultancy, 24 Hour Business Plan.

Trevor and Billy dive deep into what it takes to successfully pivot after decades in a traditional career path, how to build a board portfolio, and why curiosity and ongoing relevance are crucial in today’s fast-changing business landscape.

Billy opens up about his personal journey -sharing the lessons learned from decades at the top of the marketing world, how he uses his network, why having a clear sense of purpose matters, and his practical tips for anyone looking to craft a more meaningful, flexible professional life.

Whether you’re contemplating your own ‘what’s next’ or simply curious about life beyond the C-suite, this episode is packed with honest insights and actionable advice.

This episode is for anyone who's closing in on 50 years of age, or maybe you're older but your professional purpose still eludes you.

Perhaps you've been running a business for ages but you want to extend your entrepreneurial boundaries and pivot into doing something different, something that is more interesting and meaningful than what you're doing currently?

If so, you're going to love this conversation with Mark Masters, founder of You Are The Media, as we discuss his journey of discovering purpose through continuous effort.

Mark's story is a testament to the power of persistence, as he shares how a side project evolved into a thriving community-driven business.

Mark takes us through his transformation from running a small but traditional marketing and advertising agency to building a fully sustainable marketing learning community called You Are The Media.

He emphasises the importance of finding your voice and choosing yourself, rather than waiting for opportunities to come knocking.

Evolution of a side project

We discuss how Mark's newsletter, which began in 2013, gradually grew into a multifaceted platform including:

• A paid membership space
• Live events across the UK
• Educational initiatives

Mark highlights the challenges and rewards of nurturing a side project into a full-fledged business, stressing the value of patience and persistence.

Building a community-centric business

A key theme of our conversation is the shift from a "me-centric" to a "we-centric" approach in business.

Mark shares insights on:

• Creating opportunities for community members to step up and lead
• Fostering a culture of mutual support and learning
• The importance of trust in delegating responsibilities

Finding purpose and staying relevant

For professionals in their third decade of business, Mark offers valuable advice on:

• Aligning your values with your work
• The power of continuous learning and adaptation
• Embracing new challenges to maintain relevance

We also touch on the loneliness of entrepreneurship and how joining communities can combat isolation and fuel personal growth.

Key takeaways for aspiring community builders

Mark provides practical tips for those looking to start their own communities:

1. Choose a medium you're passionate about and can consistently produce
2. Align your project with your core values
3. Focus on participation and engagement, not just content creation
4. Be patient and prepared for the long haul
5. Join other communities to learn and grow

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to find their purpose, build a community-driven business, or stay relevant in an ever-changing professional landscape.

QUOTABLE QUOTES FROM MARK

"I realized that the strength is when you feel a part of a community with everybody, with everyone else on your side. Community is central to what I do."

"I am an example of how a community became the business and that's really empowering."

"Side projects can be risky, but they can also create the most joy and reward that we've ever stepped into."

"I'm with my heroes now and that's a liberating place to be."

CONNECT WITH MARK

• Website
• LinkedIn

Cutting through the online noise and resonating with your story and your message is one of the biggest challenges facing purpose-driven entrepreneurs and thought leaders today.

Building and communicating with a growing audience often requires a strategic, multi-channel approach: one that's creative, authentic and consistent.

Today's guest is Jane Tabachnick, a content strategist, publicity mentor, publishing expert and Alexa flash briefing consultant.

Jane helps brands and experts magnify their message through various means, including digital content marketing, media publicity, book publishing, and via Alexa flash briefings.

All this sounds like an eclectic mix, but the reality is to be successful in your communications today, you've got to become good at channel planning and integration. 

In this episode, Jane and show host, Trevor Young, delve into the myriad communications options available to entrepreneurs and leaders wanting to build personal brand visibility and influence.

THINK: Owned media, social media, earned media (i.e. media and influencer relations), book publishing, and Alexa flash briefings.

It's a far-reaching discussion as Jane and Trevor 'join the dots' of personal brand communications.

If you're keen to magnify your message in the marketplace, this episode will definitely resonate!

CONNECT WITH JANE:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

🎉 Welcome to episode 200 of REPUTATION REVOLUTION, the podcast dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and leaders build genuine personal brand influence ... in a respectful way 🎉

The legendary actor Al Pacino once said: "You’re only as good as the chances you take."

It's a great quote, and one that characterises this week's guest - Steve Vallas, CEO of Blockchain Australia.

Steve originally came on the show back in October, 2018. That episode - titled 'Relentless slowburn: How Steve Vallas builds visibility, influence and trust one event at a time' - has been, by a fair stretch too, our most popular show in terms of download numbers.

To commemorate the 200th episode, we thought we'd get Steve back on to see how the investment in time and effort he made in building professional trust and reputation in the industry has paid off.

(SPOILER ALERT: It has paid off!)

Part one of this episode is a replay of that original interview with Steve. It runs for 29 minutes, and it's a ripper (see original show notes below).

This is followed by a newly recorded interview with Steve.

In this second interview (which kicks in at the 33-minute mark), Steve explains how the groundwork he put in building his bona fides in the Blockchain space has led to him to the position he holds today, helming Australia's peak Blockchain industry body.

Plus we hear how he is harnessing the power of connection and conversation to further the Blockchain cause in Australia.

It's a terrific yarn, incorporating heaps of great lessons and truth bombs, many of which are quite 'contrarian' in nature.

If you want to make a dent in your chosen industry and are willing to put in the hard yards required, you will definitely benefit from listening to Steve's professional journey.

SHOW NOTES: 128 Relentless slowburn: How Steve Vallas builds visibility, influence and trust one event at a time

👇

Steve Vallas is quietly but surely making his mark in the Blockchain technology space.

A qualified lawyer with a background in business strategy and digital marketing, Steve is fast developing a reputation as the Blockchain go-to guy in Australia.

He has done this through relentless self-education, as well as proactively building connections and facilitating conversations with like-minded people interested in the space.

In the wide-ranging interview, Steve discusses how he's gone from being unknown in the Blockchain sector in Australia, to someone with a growing profile and reputation.

Along the way, he has:

• staged Blockchain APAC 2018, the biggest event of its kind for enterprise in Australia (taking it from idea to fully-blown conference with 45 speakers, in just 10 weeks)
• been invited by Austrade to attend a major international Blockchain event in Shanghai
• appeared on Australia's new Your Money TV channel

One of the keys to Steve's ongoing success in this nascent sector is his willingness to attend Blockchain events, no matter how small they may be. From professionally run conferences and seminars right through to informal meetups, over the course of a year, Steve has attended well over 100 events, on average of 2-3 per week.

He says showing up to so many events and having genuine conversations with people builds familiarity and trust. 

Key takeaways:

• Take the slow but steady route - Steve eschewed 'making a splash', preferring to bide his time, build his knowledge and expertise over a one-and-a-half to two-year period.
• If the idea is a good one, back yourself in - organising a major conference from go-to-whoa in 10 weeks is a massive, if somewhat crazy, undertaking. But Steve could see the potential, and the risk paid off: running such an event has elevated Steve's standing within Blockchain circles.
• Build your community before you need it - Steve has been building his online/offline community for years, always adding value, helping people and rarely asking for much in return.

Connect with Steve on Twitter.

Building a high-profile reputation as a trusted expert and leader brings with it benefits such as commercial opportunities.

But how do you make the most of these opportunities? This is precisely what our guest today, Susanna Reay, helps business owners, leaders and entrepreneurs do.

Susanna is a UK-based online business strategist, introvert coach, colour expert and artist. She combines formal design and business qualifications with over 25 years of experience working with small startups and solo entrepreneurs to help multi-passionate introverts sell their group programs, extract value from their voice and build their credibility online.

This conversation will be of interest to anyone who knows their stuff but struggles with getting their message right and getting it out to those who could benefit from hearing it. Some of the topics host Trevor Young and Susanna cover are:

• The popular ways go-to experts and thought leaders are generating revenue and creating new income streams
• The importance of getting your message right, particularly in today's noisy world
• Dispelling some myths and getting clarity on what introversion is and isn't, and the ways in which these types can excel
• How introverts can extract the value from their voice
• The 'one thing' - clarifying exactly what you want to get known for
• Susanna's favourite ways to commercialise your expertise
• Making sure your message is crystal clear before, during and after the duration or lifecycle of an online course or product
• How and when a mastermind group can add value, if they are set up and nurtured well
• When to consider creating a community through membership programs.

CONNECT WITH SUSANNA:

• Website
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• You Tube

Generating media exposure is a powerful way to boost your professional profile as well as enhance your credibility and authority in your profession or industry.

But it ain't easy! Something this week's expert guest, Darren Slade knows only too well!

It takes a lot of work and smarts to generate positive editorial exposure - just banging out a written press release is not going to cut it anymore, despite what you might see in the movies!

Darren is the group business editor are the Bournemouth Echo, the Southern Daily Echo and the Dorset Echo. He focuses on stories about the business community and entrepreneurs in Dorset and Hampshire in the UK. He's been a journalist since 1990, so he knows a fair bit about this caper.

In this interview with host Trevor Young, Darren has plenty of gold to share from his wealth of experience, including:

• The best ways to get editorial exposure, including how, and when, to best reach journalists
• Getting your pitch right, up front
• When a formal press release will work - and how to get it noticed
• Being 'vivid' - why small businesses and entrepreneurs can sometimes have the edge over their more corporate counterparts
• Preparing for a media interview
• Why the best story is not always the most obvious one
• Where you need to show up to get the attention of the media.

Plus Darren shares his thoughts regarding the future of media.

If you want to learn how to get your story ideas accepted by a journalist or an editor, or just get a better handle on how to deal with media people, you'll find this episode immensely helpful.

CONNECT WITH DARREN:

LinkedIn

Twitter

If you've ever thought about, or been inspired by, the idea of building a movement to create change around a cause or issue you're passionate about, we have quite the story for you on this episode.

Today's guest Jane Evans has had a stunning career in advertising. She gave Cate Blanchett her first job, created Australia's first craft beer and ran her own multi-million dollar agency with clients like Revlon and Maserati. Today, Jane is the founder of Uninvisibility, a global media initiative dedicated to "unleashing the power of midlife women".

The Uninvisibility mantra?

"Midlife women still have half a life to live with zero f**ks left to give. We are no longer prepared to operate in a world where only female youth and beauty is celebrated.  We’re here to show you what we’re made of."

In this energetic and motivating conversation, Jane and host Trevor Young cover a lot of ground, including:

• Jane's personal story of discovering a need for a platform that helps midlife women step into the spotlight.
• The journey to a project launch that resulted in two million hashtag views in the first two weeks
•  How the movement provided the foundation for a new communications agency for female creators as well as a training course for midlife women in media and advertising
• How providing a solution can be far more powerful than engaging in 'cancel culture'
• Finding your early adopters and giving them a great story to tell
• A movement-building social media strategy
• The deep-diving and storytelling required to change the narrative about a cause or issue
• Jane's new book - Invisible to Invaluable: Unleashing the Power of Midlife Women

If there is an issue or cause you care about and you want to create a movement for change, this episode will inspire you into action!

CONNECT WITH JANE:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Sarah Mitchell is a copywriter, a content marketing strategist - and on a mission to make the world better for readers everywhere! So who better to talk about building your reputation and authority through writing content for an online audience.

Whether you are blogging on your own website or a platform such as Medium or LinkedIn, writing articles and opinion pieces for third-party news outlets., or writing ebooks, reports and whitepapers - these all fall under the category of “written content”.

As a founder at Typeset Content Sarah loves helping her clients convert their content initiatives into long-term business assets.

In this episode, she and host Trevor Young talk about:

• The true value of being able to get your point across concisely and with clarity
• Key findings from Typeset's recently-released State of Writing 2021 research report
• How individuals and businesses can get a better return on the investment that they're making in writing
• How to know when you need help clarifying your message, and how much time, energy and money that help will save you
• The most effective forms of written content to focus on right now
• Demonstrating your thought leadership through your written content, and how a great quality piece will keep paying for itself over time

This episode will remind you that despite the perceived 'sexiness' of live streaming, video and podcasting, there's still plenty of room for the written word!

Get the State of Writing 2021 report

CONNECT WITH SARAH:

Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

'Social savvy' leaders are still pretty rare. The ones who are doing social media are doing it well. If you want to join them, Damian Corbet can help!

Damian founded the The Social C-Suite, to help leaders use this essential leadership tool to adapt, thrive and build trust as a leader and in their organisation.

He is also the author of book The Social CEO, which includes contributions from more than 30 writers including industry-recognised experts in social business and practicing ‘social CEOs’.

Damian joins Trevor Young for this episode of Reputation Revolution to talk all about how leaders and senior executives can - and should - embrace the social age,

They discuss some great examples of social leadership from Damian's book.

Other key points covered include:

• What social leadership is and why it's important
• How Damian's social media journey started, as the in house social expert for a multinational organisation with 30,000 employees
• The differences between social media marketing and social leadership
• How a leader's social media presence can demonstrate to potential customers or talent what the organisation stands for
• How making just a little time in your schedule to become a social CEO pays for itself in highly impactful and valuable ways for your organisation.

Whether you're an aspiring social leader or an employee hoping to inspire leaders in your organisation to 'go social', this episode will deliver!

CONNECT WITH DAMIAN:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Stephen Waddington is a genuine thought leader in the PR and communications space.

A highly experienced business advisor and trouble-shooter, he is the founder and Managing Partner of Wadds Inc., a UK-based professional advisory firm, working with agencies and communication teams.

Stephen has authored, co-authored or edited several books, and he is a visiting professor of PR and communications at Newcastle University,

In this episode, Stephen and host Trevor Young unpack Stephen's personal branding journey and the many elements that have contributed to him becoming a thought leader in his space.

In this wide-ranging interview, Trevor and Stephen talk about:

• How being involved in professional industry organisations contributed to the growth of Stephen's personal brand and his professional network
• Building credibility by consistently showing up and adding value over time
• Stephen's Manifesto for Better Business
• Contributing to a body of work as an editor, co-author or curator
• The role social media has played in Stephen building a professional community
• Favourite platforms for curating, writing and sharing quality content.

... and more.

If you're at all interested how to build a reputable, sustainable and professional personal brand, this episode will really resonate!

CONNECT WITH STEPHEN:

Website

LinkedIn

Twitter

This episode is part two of an interview between Trevor Young and world-renowned blogger, best-selling author and keynote speaker Mark Schaefer.

In part one, Trevor and Mark talked all about Mark's new book, Cumulative Advantage, so you might want to check that one out as well as this one if you haven't already done so!

In part two, the conversation heads down the path of thought leadership, and how Mark has managed to continue to evolve as an author, a speaker, a blogger, and as as a personal brand.

This discussion will interest anyone keen to grow their professional personal brand and position themselves as a thought leader in their chosen field of endeavour. Enjoy!

Quotable Quote: 'It doesn't matter how hard you work and how well you execute, if the strategy is wrong in the first place.' 

CONNECT WITH MARK:

• Website
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube

At its essence, marketing today is about answering one question: “How can we be heard?”

Mark Schaefer, featured guest on this special episode of the Reputation Revolution podcast, poses the question: How can we rise above the din of infinite options to create sustainable meaning with an audience or group of customers?

He says following the old rules of digital engagement is not enough … not nearly enough. Even being “great” is insufficient in the face of overwhelming competition redefining the limits of excellence every day.

Mark is a world-renowned blogger, best-selling author and keynote speaker .

His long-running blog {grow} is regarded as one of the top marketing blogs in the world, plus he has written nine books, including his latest best-seller, Cumulative Advantage: How to Build Momentum for Your Ideas, Business and Life. 

In this conversation with host Trevor Young, Mark talks at length about the premise behind his new book and the journey that led him to write it.

He also unpacks how businesses and individuals can tap into the concepts behind Cumulative Advantage to build momentum for their own ideas.

Mark covers:

• The 5 steps of Cumulative Advantage
• Best practices to stay the course once momentum has begun to build
• The clarity Mark got for the next steps in his life and business after contracting COVID-19
• The ‘sonic boom’ concept and how to use it to leverage your idea.

... plus Tim Ferriss and Oprah get a decent look-in as well!

Mark's Quotable quote: “It’s not the idea that changes your life, it’s the curiosity to pursue it”.

NOTE: Stay tuned for the next episode - part two of this interview - in which Mark discusses how he has evolved his personal brand over the years, along with other marketing gold!

CONNECT WITH MARK:

• Website
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• You Tube

Transitioning from a corporate career to entrepreneurship can be daunting, especially when you're in your early 50s and have been handed a 'pink slip' from your employer of two decades.

But for Graham White, this leap became an opportunity to reinvent his professional life and create a thriving solo communications consulting practice..

In this episode, Graham shares his journey from being a seasoned PR executive to launching his own business at 53.

He offers valuable insights for professionals considering a similar path, emphasising the importance of self-belief, strategic planning, and leveraging decades of experience.

Key takeaways from Graham's entrepreneurial journey:

• Embrace change: Sometimes, unexpected career shifts can lead to new opportunities for growth and fulfillment.
• Leverage your network: Tap into professional relationships built over the years to find clients and collaborators.
• Start lean: Keep overheads low and focus on delivering value to clients from day one.
• Find your niche: Specialise in areas where you have deep expertise to differentiate yourself in the market.
• Maintain work-life balance: Structure your business to allow for personal time and pursuits outside of work.

Graham also discusses the emotional journey of leaving a long-term corporate role, the importance of having a supportive family, and how to navigate the initial challenges of solo entrepreneurship.

Practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs:

• Assess market opportunities before making the leap
• Secure a good accountant for financial guidance
• Build a network of fellow entrepreneurs for support and advice
• Be prepared to handle all aspects of the business yourself
• Stay open to collaboration and new opportunities

Whether you're contemplating a career change or simply curious about the realities of starting a business later in life, Graham's story offers both inspiration and practical wisdom for navigating this exciting transition.

CONNECT WITH GRAHAM ON LINKEDIN

Lacy Boggs is the founder and director of The Content Direction Agency, which provides content marketing strategy and writing services for personality driven businesses and brands.

In this episode of Reputation Revolution, Lacy and host Trevor Young discuss the concept of thought leadership marketing, and why it's important for business leaders to make the time and space to do the deep work - to think things through - to actually tease out good ideas out and bring them to life in the real world.

In this conversation, Trevor and Lacy cover:

• the power of long-form content,
• how it can help business leaders become better known and more trusted in the marketplace
• how business leaders can use thought leadership marketing to influence the conversation within their industry
• Being strategic about what leaders can outsource vs the 'big ideas' that can only come through them if they want to be valued as a thought leader.

If you want to improve your leadership marketing and increase your value as a thought leader in your industry, start with making the time to listen to this conversation.

CONNECT WITH LACY:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

May King Tsang is the UK-based queen of FOMO marketing. She is a FOMO creator, a social media correspondent and a professional live tweeter.

May King's specialty is to bridge the gap between social media and PR by helping to sell out conferences, workshops, festivals, launches, speaking gigs and summits by creating excitement beyond the four walls.

She works for conference organisers, but also keynote speakers and thought leaders who need to generate extra buzz from their appearances.

In this interview with Trevor Young you will discover:

• What FOMO marketing is
• May King's personal branding journey - transitioning from tea influencer and a 'tea note speaker' to FOMO marketing expert
• All about converting 'lurkers' to 'buyers'
• How to create FOMO for your personal brand every time you the attend an event
• What you're creating every time you respond to a question or comment in the socials
• The value of having a social media correspondent on board for your next event.

This is a high-energy conversation between Trevor and May King - you really don't want to miss out on this one!

CONNECT WITH MAY KING:

Twitter

Instagram

YouTube

Website

The last episode of Reputation Revolution was all about video - this week we're diving into everything audio with featured expert guest, Kellie Riordan, one of Australia's leading podcast strategists.

Kellie is the founding producer of Australia’s most downloaded podcast, Conversations; as the creative lead of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s podcast team, she oversaw the creation of more than 30 of the country’s best-known shows.

Today, Kellie is the founder of Deadset Studios, a consultancy specialising in audio strategy, podcast production, and branded storytelling.

Kelie joins Trevor Young for this conversation about podcasting strategy, and how great storytelling works in this intimate medium.

Some of the topics discussed include:

• Kellie's experiences in the early days of podcasting
• The steps for a solid foundation you should take before starting a podcast
• The different formats podcasters are using
• 'Podcasting 3.0' - innovations for creating and sharing audio content today
• Podcasting strategies for engaging listeners quickly and producing a great show
• Respecting your audience's time by creating something that's worth their time and full attention
• Other ways to leverage your audio content.

If you need help making a great podcast or devising an audio strategy, you'll get a lot of value from this episode!

CONNECT WITH KELLIE:

Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

Episode 188 of Reputation Revolution is all about video, video, video, with expert guest Jonathan Creek.

Jonathan is an award winning investigative journalist turned viral video expert, author of the recently released book Like, Comment, Share, Buy - The beginner's guide to marketing your business with video storytelling and founder of digital marketing agency Virable.

In this conversation, Jonathan and host Trevor Young explore:

• Which is better: long form or short form videos? (The answer might be different to what you think)
• The formula for creating shareable videos that people connect with
• The 'spread factor' - why videos go viral
• Jonathan's favourite storytelling framework
• Why corporate videos are boring (from someone who makes them!)
• Expert tips for creating video content that gets attention and creates connection.

This is a jam-packed conversation on how to use video more effectively to build your personal brand and develop a thought leadership position in the marketplace,

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN:

Website

Buy the Book

Facebook

Instagram

Andy Crestodina, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Orbit Media Studios in Chicago, is a digital marketing guru.

Andy has been in the web design and interactive marketing space for 21 years. In that time, he’s helped thousands of people do a better job getting results online. He’s a true evangelist for content marketing and ethical digital marketing.

In this far-reaching conversation for Reputation Revolution, Andy chats with Trevor Young about:

• The building blocks of thought leadership marketing
• The differences between a content marketer and a thought leader
• Blogging as a powerful thought leadership marketing tool in 2021
• Andy's suggestions on optimising SEO for personal branding, including how to outrank negative media
• PLUS ... Andy unpacks the state of blogging, and lets us in on some of the interesting findings of his 7th Annual Blogging Survey,

If you've ever thought about what thought leadership is, how to extend your personal brand reach as a thought leader, or whether you simply love following thought leaders and get value from their content, you'll find this conversation super interesting!

CONNECT WITH ANDY:

Website

Twitter

Instagram

LinkedIn

Jenna Soard is a launch strategist, a brand and design expert ,and a course creation 'circus master'.

Jenna is the founder of You Can Launch, a five-part system that teaches creatives, consultants, coaches, and aspiring course creators how to launch their very first course, membership or group coaching program, and sell it with Facebook and Instagram Ads.

In this interview with Trevor Young for Reputation Revolution, Trevor and Jenna talk about:

• Jenna's journey from senior graphic designer at Nike to full-time course creation and branding expert
• The essential questions to ask when considering whether it's time to launch an online course
• How to create a win/win environment where your ideal client is telling you exactly what they need throughout the course creation process
• How to avoid course creation analysis paralysis
• Busting the myths that hold people back from creating an online course, program or membership

Quotable quote from Jenna: "... if somebody is not teaching in the field that you're trying to do, if somebody is not solving the problem that you're trying to solve, the problem isn't big enough".

CONNECT WITH JENNA:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Gavin Heaton is an Australian digital pioneer who was making a splash on the global social media scene way back in 2007 as publisher of the ground-breaking collaborative marketing book - Age of Conversation.

Known as 'Servant of Chaos', Gavin is the founder of the new B2B influencer marketplace, Influencer Active.

In this episode of Reputation Revolution, Gavin chats with Trevor Young about all things personal brand influence.

They discuss:

• What is means to be a genuine business-to-business (B2B) influencer
• How a small, engaged audience can be more influential than a large, unengaged one
• Determining how an influencer can best benefit your business, and what type of influencer
• Content: Curation or Creation?
• Playing to your strengths as a B2B influencer
• Actions you can take if you want to be a genuine B2B influencer

CONNECT WITH GAVIN:

Twitter

LinkedIn

Influencer Active

Kath Walters is one of Australia's most experienced business writers and journalists.

Having built a career writing for publications like Australia's pre-eminent and influential magazine Business Review Weekly, Kath left traditional media 8 years ago to head down the content marketing path.

She is now the author of two books, and is a 'book coach' - helping her thought leader clients write and release a book in 90 days.

In this episode, Kath and host Trevor Young explore the steps of this journey.

The topics Kath and Trevor touch on in this conversation include:

• Why writing a book is a powerful content marketing tool
• The 5 steps of Kath's brain to book process
• Getting started, and maintaining momentum
• Some great success stories about what clients have been able to achieve and attract as a result of getting their ideas on the page and out into the world.

Whether you've just started thinking about writing a book to support your brand or you've been thinking about it for a while, listening to this episode could be just what you need to get cracking!

CONNECT WITH KATH:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

Twitter

Sarah Makris is an Australian leadership communications coach.

Having built up an impressive track record in the corporate sector, Sarah now helps senior executives and entrepreneurs build their public profile, develop their online presence and fast-track their career and business.

In this episode, Sarah and host Trevor Young discuss the importance of having a professional personal brand today, and why it's important to know where do you want to go: What is your goal?

Then, the question is: Where are you today? Set a benchmark: How are you perceived in the marketplace?

Sarah and Trevor cover a range of topics during the course of the conversation, including:

• The two reasons why leaders and professionals don't create and publish original content
• Pointless posting ("pointless posting is just posting anything for the sake of it," says Sarah). 
• Adding value through content curation ... but have a point of view!
• Utility vs leadership content
• Finding your voice through writing, and why you shouldn't expect perfection straight away (Sarah once ran a fashion blog: "I remember reading the first post that I wrote ... (it) was just so bad," she says)
• The importance of voice coaching in building personal confidence ("the stage is everywhere," says Trevor)
• The power of 'behind-the-scenes' content', while at the same time being true to your brand
• Eliminating jargon and corporate speak when communications - "let's pretend that we are explaining this to your grandma and she has no idea," says Sarah.

QUOTABLE QUOTE: “Create your own personal brand. Don’t leave it to others to decide who you are” - Sarah Makris,

CONNECT WITH SARAH:

• website
• LinkedIn

In this week's episode, author of Content DNA, John Espirian, unpacks his personal branding journey, explaining how he went from an unknown B2B technology writer to a high-profile LinkedIn expert who has successfully managed to differentiate himself from his competitors in the marketplace.

{ N.B. After we listen to John's story, John and host Trevor Young shift gears and discuss LinkedIn tips and strategies }

John's the real deal. He's a genuine, humble guy. He's not flashy, but he's credible.

This makes him the antithesis of many of the self-proclaimed 'thought leaders' we see out there on the web who are good at scoring airtime, but scratch beneath the surface and there's not a lot there.

In this wide-ranging chat with Trevor Young, John discusses:

• why he chose to build his personal brand in the first place
• his book Content DNA, and why he wrote it
• the concept of creating personal brand building blocks, and how they helped him establish a unique tone of voice
• the importance of showing up and relentlessly delivering value time and time again
• making public promises and staying true to them
• the 90/10 rule - spending 90% of time on a primary social channel, and 10% on a second one.

John also covers blogging, writing styles, and building an email list.

In part 2 of the interview, John and Trevor take a deep dive into LinkedIn.

John touches on:

• LinkedIn's algorithm and the potential of organic visibility on the platform versus Facebook
• the type of content that performs best for John on LinkedIn
• tips for increasing views of your LinkedIn posts
• why LinkedIn values 'dwell time'

John Espirian quotes:

👉 "Your brand identity is like a hook of a great song: get it right and people will echo it back to you."

👉 "I've found that people who find me through LinkedIn are willing to pay up to 30 percent more than the people who find me through Google."

👉 "You've got to turn up, you've got to do the reps in the gym kind of thing. And eventually you will become known. But you've got to stick at it for long enough for it to happen." 

CONNECT WITH JOHN:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Website
• YouTube

Thank you for listening to CRANK THE 3RD - in this quick solo edition, I recap the episodes published since relaunching the podcast, previously known as 'Reputation Revolution'.

Catch you in the next episode!

Welcome to the podcast's season 4 opener in which the PR Warrior, Trevor Young, outlines the importance of clarity, content, consistency and community when building a credible thought leader brand.

This episode is designed to set the scene for the year ahead.

Trevor places emphasis on the power of consistency when it comes to building a strong professional personal brand: consistency of the message you convey, consistency of the quality of the content you produce, consistency in the way you show up, and consistency in your tone of voice.

Consistency builds trust, he says.

Trevor also stresses the importance of being professionally curious.

Look at other thought leaders - not just those in your particular professional domain either - and check them out in detail: follow them on LinkedIn or Twitter, check out their articles, subscribe to their newsletter, listen to their podcasts, watch their videos, buy their book if they have one.

Digest your findings: Does their story and message resonate with you, and why? What is it about them that appeals to you emotionally, or intellectually? Are they consistent in their approach, across multitude of channels?

Set a benchmark in your own mind what constitutes a credible thought leader, and then apply this rigour to your own situation.

Influence & IMPACT

Trevor also mentions Influence & IMPACT his fortnightly email letter full of useful tips, interesting stories, thought-provoking ideas and links to cool stuff, all related to building a visible and trusted personal brand in a way that’s respectful and sustainable.

Subscribe to Influence &IMPACT here.

FROM THE VAULT: Previously published as episode 137 - The curious world of Matt Desmier: assets, people and networks.

This is an expansive and informative chat between Trevor Young and marketing strategist (among other things!), Matt Desmier, founder of Wise Old Uncle Ltd.

If you're a multi-faceted professional who often grapples with personal brand direction and messaging, not to mention the myriad work opportunities that come your way (what to accept, and what to knock back) - you will get heaps of value and inspiration from this episode!

SHOW NOTES:

Matt Desmier describes himself as a "branding chap", "competent conference and event speaker", "connector of dots" and "consummate networker". 

Many moons ago Matt trained as a designer, spending five years at one of the world’s best specialist art schools where he learned how to be curious.

It was this curiosity that has informed every aspect of Matt's professional career ever since. He's been an innovation advisor, a design management consultant and a branding strategist. He's run incubation centres, European-funded programmes and workshops, led big teams, small teams and no teams; he's staged big events, small conferences and parties.

But at the heart of everything, Matt's a marketer who sees the world a little differently.

As founder of the Silicon Beach conference event in Bournemouth in the UK, Matt has had a big hand in establishing the seaside town's reputation as a buzzing hub for all things digital and creative. 

Silicon Beach is a two-day flagship conference featuring some of the world's most influential speakers contributing to a themeless event with no published agenda. It is this originality that has helped the event attract a global audience.

In today's noisy information-overloaded world, we're constantly told we need to stand for something, we need to hone our message and be focused in getting our story out in the world in a consistent way.

On the surface, that makes a whole lotta sense. But does it really?

Matt Desmier runs counter to that argument. You simply can't box him in to any one thing. This is both his strength and key differentiator in the marketplace.

So how then does he cut through with a cohesive message and maintain his personal brand? How does Matt build his business?

The answer is a multi-faceted one.

Matt explains that sometimes, it's what you don't do that is more important for your personal brand than what you do do.

Having principles are also critical. We've surpassed the need for having a purpose, and moved on to the importance of principles, he says.

But ultimately, it all comes down to assets, people and networks.

This is an enjoyable wide-ranging interview that will get you thinking about the way we approach our professional lives.

CONNECT WITH MATT:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattdesmier/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattdesmier

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mdesmier

FROM THE VAULT: Previously published as episode 121 - The importance of having a strong voice with Anne Miles

Business coach and marketing consultant, Anne Miles, is a big believer in taking a stance on issues that affect the industry in which she operates.

Anne is the founder of International Creative Services (now Suits&Sneakers), a global collective of pre-approved marketing and advertising talent, based out of Australia.

Anne regularly publishes thought-provoking articles on a range of topics relevant to her industry, including ageism, gender equality, diversity and anonymous blogging, as well as issues associated with outdated business models used by ad agencies.

Anne is not being controversial for controversy's sake, but rather, she is guided by her personal philosophy and values.

"When I started to feel ... things weren't right, I put my hand up and said it." 

It's this a stance that has made the Australian marketing industry sit up and take notice of Anne.

LinkedIn articles

Anne has built a solid body of content, the bulk of which has been a series of articles on her LinkedIn page.

One such article, titled 'The Ad Agency Model Is Broken - Here's Why', sparked enormous interest within industry circles. For Anne, it was life changing, professionally. 

Within 24 hours of the post going up, she received 1000 LinkedIn requests to connect. Industry trade press jumped on it and wanted to share it too. In Australia, the industry trade journal AdNews republished the story in its entirety, re-igniting discussion around the issue.

Trade press

Anne's profile within marketing circles continues to rise.

Her articles regularly appear in the trade press, and she gets invitations to speak at industry events. New business continues to roll in thanks to her profile, and her business has been named a Westpac 2018 Businesses of Tomorrow winner.

Importantly, Anne continues to write articles for LinkedIn. 

While many business owners would be satisfied with hitting it big with one viral article, Anne understands it’s her overall body of work that underpins ongoing success in terms of industry awareness, influence and credibility. 

Connect with Anne

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

In this, the final episode for 2020, Trevor Young aka the PR Warrior explains how he works with clients to get the ideas and insights out of their heads and into the various content formats for their audience to consume.

Plus he explains the importance of creating a team to support your personal branding efforts, particularly around content and social media.

Leaders & social media

In part 2 of the episode, Trevor chats with Tino Ho, the chief commercial officer at thesocialrevolution.co, formerly known as Binary M, about the importance of entrepreneurs and business leaders being active on social media.

Trevor puts it to Tino: Why aren't there more CEOs on social media, and what are the reasons for this, does he think?

Tino and Trevor unpack the benefits of leaders participating on social channels, while Tino also shares some findings from research his firm has undertaken into the subject.

Big show folks, thanks for tuning in!

CONNECT WITH TINO:

• LinkedIn
• The Social Revolution website

This week's episode is a case study feature on Pat Mannix, a partner in the Melbourne-based accounting firm, Paris Financial.

Pat is the Small Business Tax Champion.

He uses video to share value with his target audience, the small business community.

Pat's videos demystify legislation, unpack complex issues around all things tax, and provide savvy business tips and advice. Plus he doesn't mind delivering the occasional rant against multinational companies that don't pay their fair share of tax!

But most importantly, Pat's content is the real deal.

Yes, it's valuable content for the intended audience - small business owners - but it's how he presents it that really resonates. With Pat, what you see is what you get - he's a funny guy, and his personality really shines through in his videos. This is very welcome, given a lot of the subject matter is on the dry side!

In this this interview, Pat breaks down how he produces his videos, including the production schedule he adheres to and the technology used. He explains the need to inject personality on-camera and why the key to content success is consistency.

Pat also discusses how creating content has given him (and his firm) visibility within small business circles, and how this has led to new business opportunities.

Pat has done some 150 videos now, so he's got it down to a fine art. But nothing would have happened had he not turned on the camera and had a go!

If you've been 'umming and aahing' as to whether you should be creating content but are starting to maybe over-think things to the point where nothing is getting done, you'll be inspired by this chat with Pat Mannix.

CONNECT WITH PAT:

• Paris Financial website
• YouTube channel
• LinkedIn profile

In this episode of the podcast, Trevor Young speaks with Jen Bishop, founder, publisher and owner of online publication, Interiors Addict. 

Jen left her career as a journalist and editor to work full-time on her blog. While she had no design qualifications, she was passionate about all things décor and homewares, plus an ability to write and bring other people’s stories to life.

Eight years later, Interiors Addict attracts 150,000 monthly readers, and Jen is a recognised influencer and brand ambassador.

Some of the key points you don’t want to miss from this episode:

• A very inspiring story of how a personal hobby blog grew into a successful brand and business
• Jen's advice on what she would do differently if she was starting a blog today
• How true influence is earned
• Building credibility and becoming a sought-after brand ambassador
• It's okay to be choosy about who you work with if it means protecting your brand and keeping it real for your audience
• Jen's Instagram strategy - you might find it surprising!

This episode is a case study of someone who left their job, followed their passion and has used content, social media and personal branding to carve out a very successful niche.

CONNECT WITH JEN:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

We kicked off season 3 of Reputation Revolution back in May with a look at the PERSONAL BRANDING UNIVERSE - a canvas on which I connect the various dots involved in building a credible and sustainable professional personal brand.

These dots, or elements, flow from what I refer to as the four pillars of personal branding for professional people. They are:

(1) ESTABLISH your voice

(2) ENHANCE the credibility of your voice

(3) EXTEND the reach of your voice

(4) EXTRACT value from your voice.

Here on the Reputation Revolution, each episode builds on at least one pillar.

For example, in episodes 150 and 174, I chat with Mark Masters and Eli Trier respectively about the power of building one's community of like-minded people.

Creating video content, including video live streaming, is all about enhancing the the credibility of your voice. In short, if you want to build a credible profile and trusted reputation in the marketplace, video should definitely be on your content creation radar.

We've had some terrific guests in season 3 sharing their ideas and expertise around all things video - Julian Mather, live streaming guru Ian Anderson Gray, and Tristan White, a successful entrepreneur who runs one of Australia’s largest physiotherapy practices.

We've also covered other elements of the Personal Branding Universe in season 3 - for example, writing a book to build profile and enhance your professional credibility.

Writing productivity geek Bec Evans told us in episode 158 that there are various internal and external roadblocks authors often encounter when writing their book.

Suzy Jacobs, founder of Activator Academy, took is through the importance of values in episode 155.

Most critical in personal branding is to stand for something. So says Steve Sammartino, a leading futurist, best-selling author, media commentator and keynote speaker.

In episode 166, Hillary Weiss introduced us to a concept she calls the ’statement piece’ brand - an antidote to the “sea of sameness on the internet”.

And what of social media? It's such a critical aspect of building a personal brand, particularly one underpinned by a credible thought leadership positioning in the marketplace.

Just ask California trial lawyer, Mitch Jackson, author of the book The Ultimate Guide to Social Media For Business Owners, Professionals and Entrepreneurs.

I've long referred to Twitter the 'influence channel', and that's how Dr Emma Beckett sees it too. A key outcome of Emma's social efforts, particularly on Twitter, is interest from mainstream media, resulting in editorial coverage, including interviews on radio and national television.

If you want to build a successful authentic personal brand, it's critical to show your human side - this is particularly the case for leaders, entrepreneurs and professional experts who are in the public eye and front people for a business, organisation or social enterprise.

Want to see what this looks like? Look no further than Alan and Emily Braithwaite, founders of several UK-based businesses, including online visibility agency Yellow Tuxedo.

If you want to feel inspired about the value of showing up consistently, get loads of ideas about how to maximise your SEO and repurpose your content, and learn how to wrap it all up in a very human way, you'll love listening to this one - episode 169 of the Reputation Revolution podcast.

In this episode, Trevor Young speaks with expert guest Eli Trier of Eli Trier Communities about how to build a sustainable business through community and connection.

Eli Trier is a quiet revolutionary and introvert who teaches other entrepreneurs how to use collaborative community to grow their businesses.

There are many powerful ideas you''ll take away from this thoughtful conversation, including:

• The importance of connection, community and personal touch in building a business
• Eli's concept of a 'Community Project Model' (and why it's the antithesis of many of today's online marketing tactics)
• Shining a light on members of your community (and letting them tell their story)
• How to use email marketing to kickstart conversations
• 'Rehumanising' business relationships and investing in transparency, kindness and connection
• How facilitating community projects can help you reach important business goals and build your audience.

If community and connection are important to you, you'll love this conversation with Eli.

CONNECT WITH ELI:

Website

Instagram

In this episode of Reputation Revolution, Trevor Young talks to live streaming guru Ian Anderson Gray, founder of the Confident Live Marketing Academy and host of the Confident Live Marketing podcast.

Ian helps entrepreneurs level up their impact, authority and profits by using live video confidently.

Some of the many need-to-knows covered in this lively conversation are: .

• Why thought leaders and entrepreneurs should get into live streaming
• Using live video to overcome the 'curse' of perfectionism
• How continuing to show up live and getting over his fear has changed Ian's life
• Some super simple tips to overcome barriers to getting started
• Ian's favourite 'multi-streaming' tools and microphones
• What to do before and after you go live, for optimal engagement

If you've been putting off using live video as part of your business and engagement strategy, this episode will definitely inspire and motivate you to get going!

CONNECT WITH IAN:

CONFIDENT LIVE MARKETING PODCAST

Website

Instagram

You Tube

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Pinterest

In this episode, Trevor Young digs deep with Julia May & Sarah Anderson from VISIBILITY CO.

Visibility Co helps businesses, individuals, entrepreneurs, executive teams, impact-focused organisations and movement makers combine self-aware and visionary leadership with authentic, strategic communications.

This conversation delves into the whole notion of personal brand visibility, but with a deeper philosophical skew.

Just some of what this episode covers:

• Visibility Co's three pillars of visibility
• Their formula for strategic influence
• How high value visibility is often not about being on the 'main stage' or having a high profile in all the usual places
• Choosing your own authentic pathway.

CONNECT WITH JULIA OR SARAH:

Website

Julia May LinkedIn

Sarah Anderson LinkedIn

Look up the word 'eclectic' in the dictionary and there will be a picture there of this week's guest - her name is Valerie Khoo, and when it comes to professional evolution, Valerie is the Queen of Reinvention!

Valerie has who has successfully navigated careers in accounting, PR, journalism, public speaking, entrepreneurship, and the visual arts.

She’s a published author and the founder of the Australian Writers' Centre, which has trained over 100,000 students worldwide since opening its doors in 2005.

Valerie also hosts the popular podcast - So You Want to be a Writer - which has over three million downloads - and, if that wasn’t enough, she was for several years the curator of Sydney's Lunar Festival, which is one of the city's major arts and cultural events.

Valerie’s creative journey took an unexpected turn when she picked up a paintbrush and discovered her passion for visual art.

If you’re keen to better understand what it takes to reinvent yourself professionally - perhaps you’re keen to get out of corporate and do something new, or take on a different project outside of the business you run - if building a portfolio career is on your radar - then you will love this inspiring conversation with Valerie Khoo!

CONCLUSION:

Valerie's story is a testament to the power of curiosity and adaptability in forging a fulfilling and creative career. Her journey encourages us to explore new avenues, embrace lifelong learning, and challenge conventional career paths for personal and professional growth.

VALERIE'S QUOTABLE QUOTES:

“Always give in to your curiosity because for sure it’s leading you somewhere that you’re actually meant to go.”

“It’s never too late. It’s just never too late.”

“Embracing new things and learning new things is so important for your health.”

“I think mentors are really important, and that was something I discovered way too late in life.”

“You can leap. You don’t have to ladder climb.”

CONNECT WITH VALERIE ON INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/valeriekhoo

On this episode of REPUTATION REVOLUTION, Trevor Young talks to digital marketing trainer and business coach, Brook McCarthy.

Brook and Trevor dive into a range of topics, including how she generates business, why a blog is important, word-of-mouth and relationships, being brave, and focusing on a niche.

If you're a thought leader who wants to build a business around your personal brand, you'll get a lot from this episode!

Just some of the highlights:

• Brook’s take on how businesses grow at the speed of relationships
• The power of Google for generating business
• Making boldness your business strategy
• Having a niche - with flexibility

CONNECT WITH BROOK:

Website

Facebook

Mitch Jackson is a California trial lawyer - aka The Streaming lawyer - who puts the social into social media.

He's on a multitude of channels, including TikTok; 'in-the-moment' live-streaming is his jam!

The bits not to be missed in this episode:

• The importance of personal relationships in building a presence on social media
• Creative and efficient ways to create content that resonates when you're a busy professional
• How a sixty-three year old lawyer uses TikTok, and what's involved in doing the 'digital dance'
• Putting customer/client needs first
• Walking the line between being social while remaining professional
• Understanding that what you're doing on social is just the beginning

"Digital platforms will come and go, but good relationships will last forever," says Mitch.

If you're a business professional who is keen to embrace social media but haven't as yet committed fully to the digital world, you'll get a lot out of this interview!

GET MITCH'S BOOK

CONNECT WITH MITCH

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

TikTok

You Tube

In this episode of Reputation Revolution, Trevor Young talks to Alan and Emily Braithwaite, founders of several UK-based businesses, including online visibility agency Yellow Tuxedo,

Alan and Emily help individuals and businesses stand out from the crowd, but they do it in a way that's genuine and human, ... and it works.

This conversation covers a broad range of topics including:

• The five principles Yellow Tuxedo works with to help their clients stand out
• What being professional means in 2020, and how it has changed
• The importance of businesses building a PR legacy that lasts
• The story of why everything Yellow Tuxedo is, well, yellow
• Why Alan and Emily believe macro content is king
• How their '100 days straight' vlog was born out of the need for structure during lockdown
• The podcast that was named in a top ten list of podcasts to listen to in its niche

If you want to feel inspired about the value of showing up consistently, get loads of ideas about how to maximise your SEO and repurpose your content, and learn how to wrap it all up in a very human way, you'll love listening to this one.

CONNECT WITH ALAN AND EMILY:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• You Tube

Join the Digital Circus HERE

This week's guest is AMBER HURDLE - marketing speaker and author of the book The Bombshell Business Woman.

Amber is the CEO of Amber Hurdle Consulting, a multi-award- winning talent optimization firm that pioneers using both science and marketing principles to strengthen customers’ brands from the inside out.

She sharpens personal brands using her ‘velvet machete’ strategy - cutting to the chase and wrapping their marketing message in a way that feels good to the intended audience.

This chat with Trevor Young will walk you through:

• Amber's Velvet Machete brand strategy
• The importance of tailoring your message for each audience you're talking to
• Amber's journey from creating her 'Bombshell Business Bootcamp' to becoming a podcaster and author
• Adapting your business, messaging and content when the landscape changes unexpectedly

If you want to know a bit more about you, you can complete Amber's free Predictive Index assessment HERE

CONNECT WITH AMBER:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook

In this episode of Reputation Revolution, Trevor Young talks to Yishan Chan, an emerging leader in the world of finance, about personal branding within a corporate environment.

Yishan currently works in Change and Communications for one of the big 4 banks in Australia, and was recently named a finalist in the Rising Star category of the Women in Banking and Finance Awards 2020.

She also hosts a podcast called Build Your Talent Stack, where she shares stories about creative ways to learn, network and own your career.

Yishan and Trevor cover a range of topics, including:

• Yishan's brand beginnings as an early influencer
• How she balances her internet presence to align her personal brand with her corporate career
• Standing out for what you stand for, not for the last thing you did
• How she collaborates with her organisation when creating content

If you operate within the four walls of a corporation but are still interested in personal branding, you will find this episode motivating and inspiring on many levels.

CONNECT WITH YISHAN:

• LinkedIn
• Podcast
• Twitter

Hillary Weiss is a New York-based creative director & messaging strategist who helps her clients develop big ideas that stomp off the screen. 

In this high-energy chat with Trevor Young, Hillary introduces a concept she calls the ’statement piece’ brand - an antidote to the “sea of sameness on the internet”.

Hillary works with business leaders and creative entrepreneurs to develop their unique statement piece - "that idea, that concept, that point of view that makes leaders and experts radically different to their perfect people and does the talking for them”.

In this interview, Hillary:

• stresses the importance of having a clear message and a point of view
• explains that good branding is getting you in front of those people who need your message and are going to resonate with it
• unpacks her brand and how she has managed to come up with an idea that she can share verbally, visually and viscerally

Fonts, colours, conversations and experiences all crack a mention!

If you’re ready to 'crush the copycat culture’ on the internet, you’ll find this episode fascinating!

Check out Hillary’s website (and while you’re there, grab your FREE Statement Piece Framework).

Connect with Hillary on social media:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

In this episode of REPUTATION REVOLUTION, we hear from book coach and editor, Kelly Irving, who helps business experts and thought leaders write and publish books.

Kelly has a very pragmatic view when it comes to experts writing books.

In this chat with host Trevor Young, she unpacks the REAL reasons why an expert (entrepreneur/thought leader) should write a book, and outlines a realistic path towards preparing for your book should you decide to write one.

Kelly explains the 4 types of writers:

1. The deep thinker
2. The storyteller
3. The entrepreneur
4. The mastermind

(Which one are you?)

Kelly also touches on:

• how to know when you're ready to write a book
• writing a book is a thinking process: it's about learning to communicate who you are and what you do
• how are you going to use the book in your business?
• building a body of work that becomes a book
• writing a book starts with blogging, publishing articles, sharing content ... working up to whitepapers
• tension points in the writing process
• grappling with the 'curse of knowledge'
• the importance of "critical, valid, honest feedback" during the writing process
• a book is a product of your business, it's more than a calling card with "thud value"
• book length and the simplification of ideas

Lots of gold here from Kelly. If you've been considering writing a book but still have questions around the process and whether it's something you should be doing, you will definitely find this episode enlightening.

CONNECT WITH KELLY:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

This episode of Reputation Revolution focuses on podcasting, and features a discussion on THE STATE OF PODCAST INTERVIEWS 2020 research report that was presented at the recent Podfest Global Summit.

Special guest is Tom Schwab, founder of pioneering podcast interview marketing agency, Interview Valet, that conducted the research.

Tom and host Trevor Young dissect the research, highlighting what the findings mean for individuals wanting to secure podcast interviews as part of their personal brand marketing activity.

The discussion covers a range of ideas, insights and topics, including:

• the most common platforms to conduct podcast interviews - which ones are most popular, and what are the trends?
• the most common days for podcast interviews, and the time it takes from invitation to recording to publishing of the interview
• how podcasters prefer to record their interviews, and how flexible are they when it comes to fitting in with guests' schedules
• what percentage of interviews include video, and how popular live-streaming is becoming

Exposure brings opportunity

Tom explains why podcast interviews are an effective way to build your brand and generate leads for your business.

Plus he shares his tips as to what it takes to become a compelling podcast interview guest.

Whether you’re a podcaster or someone keen to be interviewed on podcasts, there is lots of gold in this interview.

Connect with Tom:

• Website
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

DOWNLOAD THE INTERVIEW VALET RESEARCH REPORT

A week ago, Dr Jen Frahm, a Melbourne-based global expert in change and organisational transformation, posted the following tweet:

@jenfrahm - Twitterz - thoughts on who has done a good job of being associated w multiple brands? eg portfolio of biz? I have Dr Jen Frahm, Agile Change Leadership Institute, Busting Silos & about to add another - curious who manages the brand side well? Does visual coherence matter?

Jen's tweet resonated with Trevor Young, the host and publisher of Reputation Revolution.

As someone who writes about, and works closely with, professionals who have built businesses off the back of their personal brand, Trevor has seen first-hand the dilemmas that come with commercialising one's reputation, for example:

• Personal brand vs business brand - which should receive more priority?
• Should I be developing a series of products as sub-brands, or not?
• And what about building bona fide sideline businesses instead of products - will this detract from my personal brand?

So many questions, and no right or wrong answer, of course. A lot depends on your personal circumstances and your goals.

So Trevor thought it would be a good idea to get Jen on the podcast - along with her friend and colleague, branding specialist, Kate Ware, from BuzzPop Brands.

The idea was: "Let's just have a chat about this and share our thoughts and ideas on the podcast."

So that's what this episode is about: an informal 'roundtable conversation' between Trev, Jen and Kate, in which they dissect the pros and cons of collaborative sideline businesses, sub-branded ventures and product ecosystems, and what's the most effective way to build out the business behind one's personal brand.

CONNECT WITH JEN:

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

CONNECT WITH KATE:

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

This week's episode focuses on the story of 'cyber cop', Susan McLean.

Susan is a world-recognised leader in the area of cybersafety and young people.

She was the first Victoria Police Officer appointed to a position involving cyber safety; she has dozens of certifications, and has spoken at over 1,000 schools all around Australia.

Thought leader journey

In this wide-ranging podcast chat with Trevor Young, Susan discusses her journey from police officer to thought leader, touching on a range of topics including:

• the importance of standing your ground on issues you believe in
• building a profile through the media
• working with journalists and producers
• how to use Twitter to expand one's influence
• the differences between Twitter and Facebook
• working with partners to reach a broader audience.

Susan also unpacks the commercial side of her personal brand, explaining the various strands, or arms, of her business.

Plus she tells the story of being caught up in the Barcelona terrorist attack several years back, and how using Twitter on that day resulted in her participating in over 87 interviews with media outlets from around the world.

If you want to better understand what's required to build your professional profile and grow a business around your personal brand, you'll love this real-life example of Susan McLean!

CONNECT WITH SUSAN:

• Website
• Twitter
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

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Welcome to the belief and conviction episode of Crank The 3rd!

While many of us have, after three decades in the business trenches, experienced a decent amount of professional success, not everyone is fulfilled.

A lot of middle aged people remain stuck in their comfort zone, and are not playing as big a game as they could be.

Or, in the words of this week's guest, they're not living a "10 out of 10 life".

So I invited Richard Sauerman on to the show to deliver a 'kick in the pants', and he delivers!

Richard - aka 'The Brand Guy' - is a thinker and an humanist, with a massive interest in people and 'the human condition'. He has written two books and appears in the media on brand-related issues.

Richard has done the strategic thinking, brand planning and communications for over 200 brands in his career, but he's probably best known these days as a high-voltage motivational speaker (and reality TV contestant!).

Wow! We covered some ground in this episode, with lots of laughs, F-bombs, motivational nuggets and food for thought, all delivered at pace!

Across the course of the conversation, Richard:

• Discusses overcoming fears of mediocrity and societal pressures, urging listeners to challenge limiting beliefs and embrace risks for growth. 
• Emphasises authenticity, particularly for those over 50.
• Explores the link between happiness and service to others, drawing on research in positive psychology.
• Shares insights from Ralph Kelly’s Stay Kind organisation, and James Clear’s “Atomic Habits,” emphasising daily acts of kindness and continuous improvement.
• Addresses the challenge of forming connections, particularly in workplace settings, and how small gestures can improve relationships.

As the oldest contestant on the TV's Married at First Sight (Australia), Richard reflects on his experience of being on the show and the personal growth it prompted, especially after being diagnosed with ADHD at 63.

This revelation, he says, reshaped his understanding of his life, marriage, and career, leading him to advocate for increased awareness of adult ADHD.

Richard plans to write a book to educate others about ADHD and its misconceptions, using writing as a therapeutic outlet.

Strap yourselves in folks, this conversation is high energy!

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QUOTABLE QUOTES FROM RICHARD:

“So if you like waiting for some day or one day to be a 10, you might not get the chance.”

“A lot of people are not fulfilled and happy and satisfied in the way they want to be, despite and in the face of their successes.”

“Don’t delay. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Don’t wait for the next day or next week.”

“Stop trying to be right ... just choose to be happy.”

“You can change the world in your way through those little small acts.”

“Tiny steps, small actions.”

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This week's episode of Reputation Revolution takes a deep dive into LinkedIn and how thought leaders and professional experts can leverage the platform to build their profile and generate more leads for their business.

Our featured expert guest is author, social media speaker and LinkedIn marketing coach, Adam Franklin.

Adam, who's CEO of Bluewire Media, helps consultants win new clients and grow their pipeline on LinkedIn.

In his discussion with show host Trevor Young , Adam walks us through the same process he takes his clients through in order to generate meaningful business leads using the social media platform in just 20 minutes a day.

Adam and Trevor cover the following topics:

• General update on LinkedIn: what's working today on the platform (and what's not) - social interaction, organic reach, video views, new features such as documents and live-streaming
• Why Adam has decided to double-down on LinkedIn
• How to identify people to connect with using the platform
• The nurturing process of taking people from "stranger" to "high-value client" using LinkedIn
• Why automating invitations to connect is a big no-no
• Posting schedule, and the life of content on LinkedIn
• The importance of interacting with others on the platform

Adam also provides his view on LinkedIn 'lurkers', and the important role they play:

"The fact is that because there's a lot of lurkers, it's not like they're not paying attention, they are paying attention. And it's amazing how often my clients and I experience somebody who they've never heard from, never met, never had any engagement with, who will actually then pick up the phone or call them or send them a direct message and saying, I need to work with you.

"And it's like, well, who are you? They have actually been paying attention for months or years and you just never realize it."

Content, community, conversation and conversion using LinkedIn - we cover the lot on Reputation Revolution.

We hope you enjoy the show, and don't forget to subscribe via your podcast app of choice and never miss an episode!

CONNECT WITH ADAM:

• Website
• Free marketing templates
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

"And now with social media being so huge, you've got to show up authentically. You've got to know who you are and just be real with people. And it doesn't matter if you're a college student, if you're a millennial who's hitting the workforce. If you are a CEO, your personal brand, you have the power and the control of how people are going to digest you, how they're going to take you in. You have that power." - Jonathan George.

As CEO of JG Entertainment, Jonathan George has spent the past 20 years creating rockstar brands for celebrities, entrepreneurs, and influencers with over 150 million online followers.

Known as “The Human Hitmaker”, Jonathan's strength is to identify and extract people’s greatest untapped assets and brand it into rockstar status for their highest potential of authority, impact, and success.

In this conversation with Trevor Young, Jonathan touches on a range of topics and ideas, including:

• his origin story, going from the depths of "I'm not good enough" to becoming "The Human Hitmaker" and helping to create rockstar personal brands with over 150 million online followers
• identifying your character strengths
• exposing (and embracing) your flaws
• his personal branding framework - headspace (the who, how and the what), the heart (your why), the body (the content you put out) and foot (the action, the marketing, the push)
• Success is 20% talent. The other 80% is how you brand that talent to shine.

Plus Jonathan gives examples of some of his clients and how he worked with them to develop their 'rockstar' personal brand.

If you want to learn how to overcome average with personal branding, you'll love this interview with Jonathan George.

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• YouTube

Lauren Kress aka 'The Business Scientist', joins the PR Warrior Trevor Young to discuss what it takes to build a memorable market-leading personal brand in the B2B space.

This is a broad-ranging conversation that touches on topics such as:

• self-confidence and the various roadblocks involved in putting oneself "out there"
• understanding what you want to be known for
• the importance of publishing original content that does justice to your personal brand
• why LinkedIn is a critical platform for aspiring B2B leaders (and let's not forget the role that Twitter can play also)
• leaving the employ of a well-known brand (but continuing to make that business part of your personal brand identity)
• batch-production of content: getting knowledge and expertise out of your head to share with the marketplace
• utility content vs leadership content
• which media formats should you concentrate on?
• getting some early wins on the marketing board and building from there

Lots of bases covered folks!

If you operate in the business-to-business space (or even if you're don't) - and you're keen to build a market-leading personal brand, then you won't want to miss this episode.

CONNECT WITH LAUREN:

• Website
• Twitter
• LinkedIn